I’m Nicola, an ideas-first creative from South Africa.

Growing up in South Africa meant learning to be comfortable when things don’t go according to plan. That said, I’m still not very calm when the WiFi stops working.

I believe the best work starts with a strong idea and gets better through collaboration. What you see here isn’t mine alone. It’s the result of many sharp, talented people making each other’s thinking stronger.

I started my career at Ogilvy & Mather, developing conceptual campaigns for brands like Volkswagen, AB InBev, Heinz, Castrol, Revlon, and Barbie. Four years in, I was awarded an O-1 visa for extraordinary ability in the arts. That opportunity took me across the world and into new creative arenas.

In San Francisco, I worked on global brands including Spotify, OpenTable, Uber, and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, building work designed to scale, connect, and actually matter.

More recently, I moved into the world of consulting at Oliver Wyman, where I’ve been the creative lead for their largest annual event, the Health Innovation Summit.

I lead a small team of designers and work closely with writers and stakeholders to develop ideas from concept through to execution. At Oliver Wyman, I’ve helped shape the Health Innovation Summit into a multi-channel experience spanning 200+ assets, and creative directed an opening film from first idea to final cut. I also focus on hiring and mentoring designers as the team grows.

I’m drawn to ideas that are simple, powerful, and human. The kind that cut through, stick, and do something meaningful in the world.

As a creative leader, I push teams beyond the obvious and create space for great thinking to happen, with clarity, craft, and intent.

These days, I’m based in New York, working from home with my dog, Wilbur, who has strong opinions and no deadlines.